Punjab: On Monday, an incident of sacrilege has come to light in Punjab from a Gurudwara. A Sikh man entered the Gurudwara wearing shoes and started beating the granthis reciting Shri Guru Granth Sahib. The incident took place at Morinda in Ropar district.
After the incident, the people present in the Gurudwara caught the youth and thrashed him for his sacrilegious act.
The man identified as Jasvir Singh, alias Jassi, was later booked under sections 295 A, 307, 323 and 506 of the IPC.
As per a video viral on social media, the accused jumped over the railing of the sanctum sanctorum and entered the area where Guru Granth Sahib is placed. He started thrashing two granthis sitting there. Those present in the gurdwara overpowered him and thrashed him.
After the incident, shopkeepers shut down the local markets and staged a protest in front of the police station. They sought strict action against the accused.
SP Navneet Singh Mahal said further action was underway as the accused had been detained.
The people sitting on the dharna alleged that the police wanted to declare the young man mentally unstable while the youth’s actions were very intentional. People said that till action is not taken against the youth, they will not end the protest.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister of Punjab Bhagwant Mann urged people to exercise restraint.
Mann expressed anguish and grief over the incident, saying “exemplary punishment will be ensured to perpetrators of this heinous crime”.
He described it as an unfortunate and tragic incident, which has “bruised the psyche of every individual who has faith in Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji”. He urged the people to exercise restraint.
The Chief Minister in a statement said that he has already directed the Director General of Police (DGP) to ensure that the probe into the matter is expedited so that the guilty are punished as per the rule of law. He said that the Police have also enhanced surveillance in every nook and corner of the State.
